Canon PowerShot G11
Canon PowerShot G11
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Originally Posted: November 23, 2009
Last Updated: December 11, 2009
The Canon PowerShot G11 ($499) is a high-end, fixed lens camera that combines the manual controls and expandability of a D-SLR with the bells and whistles of a point-and-shoot. The G11 replaces the PowerShot G10 (see our review), and while some of its specs seem like a step back, the changes are mostly for the better.
The biggest differences between the G10 and G11 are the sensor and the LCD. While the PowerShot G10 had a whopping 14.7 Megapixel sensor, Canon actually went down to a 10 Megapixel CCD on the G11. Canon says that this "high sensitivity" sensor will lead to better high ISO shooting, and we'll see if the G11 delivers on that promise later in this article. The other change is with regard to the LCD: the G11 now has a rotating screen, just like G-series cameras of old. While the screen is a bit smaller than on the G10, the 461k pixel resolution remains the same.
Other features on the G11 include a 5X, 28 - 140 mm lens, optical image stabilization, full manual controls, a high resolution LCD, support for conversion lenses and an external flash, and a VGA movie mode. The G11 shares the rangefinder-like design of the G10, complete with ISO and exposure dials on the top of the camera.
This table summarizes the main differences between the G10 and G11:
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There are quite a few things on the G10 that got removed on the G11, though the only thing I'll really miss is remote capture support.
I've often felt that the last few G-series cameras didn't live up to the standard set by earlier models. Will the G11 be the camera that brings the G-series back to greatness? Find out now in our review!
What's in the Box?
The PowerShot G11 has an average bundle. Inside the box, you'll find:
- The 10.0 effective Megapixel PowerShot G11 digital camera
- NB-7L lithium-ion battery
- Battery charger
- Neck strap
- USB cable
- A/V cable
- CD-ROM featuring Canon Digital Camera Solution
- 193 page camera manual (printed)
The PowerShot G11 does not come with a memory card, nor does it have any built-in memory. That means that you'll need to buy a memory card right away, unless you happen to have one sitting around already. The G11 supports SD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus, and HC MMCplus media, though I'd stick with the first two if I were you. A 2GB card is a good size to start with, and it's definitely worth spending a little extra for a high speed model (though you don't need to go overboard).
The G11 uses the same NB-7L rechargeable lithium-ion battery as the G10. This battery packs 7.8 Wh of energy into its plastic shell, which is quite good for a compact camera. Here's how that translates into battery life:
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The cameras in the above table are a bit random, but all of them have 4X or 5X lens, image stabilization, and a large LCD. Just a handful of those have manual controls, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 is the only other camera to have both manual controls and a hot shoe. In this group, the PowerShot G11's battery life is well above average.
I do want to mention the usual issues about the proprietary batteries used by the G11 and every other camera on the above list. They're expensive (a spare will set you back at least $48), and you can't use an off-the-shelf battery when your rechargeable runs out of juice.
When it's time to charge the NB-7L, just pop it into the included charger. The charger plugs directly into the wall socket, and takes approximately 140 minutes to fully charge the battery.
As you can see, the PowerShot G11 has a built-in lens cover, so there's no clunky lens cap to deal with. While not what I'd call "bulky", it is one of the larger non-super zoom cameras on the market.
The G11 can use the same accessories as the G10 that came before it (save for the underwater case). It's quite a list, too, which is one of the things that makes this PowerShot so appealing. Here are the most interesting accessories:
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There are a few more items that I didn't list, such as a flash bracket, off-shoe flash cable, and an inexpensive external slave flash (though I don't know why you'd bother with that).
CameraWindow in Mac OS X
Canon includes version 54 of their Digital Camera Solution Disk with the PowerShot G11 (I think they skipped everything in the 40 range). The first part of the software suite that you'll probably encounter is Camera Window (pictured above), which you'll use to transfer images to your computer, organize photos on the camera (meaning delete or protect), and adjust a few camera settings (startup screen, sounds, theme) as well.
ImageBrowser in Mac OS X
After you've transferred photos to your computer, you'll find yourself in either ImageBrowser or ZoomBrowser, which are for Mac and Windows respectively. The Browser software lets you view, organize, e-mail, and print your photos. If you categorized any photos on the camera (more on this later), then this information is transferred into the Browser software.
Editing in ImageBrowser
Double-click on a thumbnail and you'll bring up the edit window. Editing functions include trimming, redeye removal, plus the ability to adjust levels, color, brightness, sharpness, and the tone curve. There's also an auto adjustment option for those who want a quick fix.
While Browser can open RAW files, it cannot edit them or export them to JPEGs. For RAW editing you'll need to use...
Digital Photo Professional in Mac OS X
... Digital Photo Professional, which is normally found on Canon's D-SLRs and not their compact cameras. The main screen isn't too different from Image/ZoomBrowser, with your choice of three thumbnail sizes, plus a thumbnail w/shooting data screen. The batch processing tool lets you quickly resize and rename a large number of photos.
RAW editing in DPP
The RAW editing tools in DPP are fairly elaborate. You can adjust exposure, white balance, the tone curve, color saturation, sharpness, and noise reduction. The software is very responsive, with nearly instant updates to the image after you change a parameter.
If you're using Photoshop CS4 or a recent version of Photoshop Elements, you'll be able to open the RAW images if you're using version 5.6 or newer of the Camera Raw plug-in.
What is RAW, anyway? RAW images contain unprocessed image data direct from the camera's sensor. Thus, you can adjust settings like white balance and exposure without damaging the original image, so it's almost like taking the photo again. The downside is the large file size (compared to JPEG), fewer shots in continuous shooting mode, and the need to post-process each image on your computer before you can turn it into a more common format like JPEG.
Two last notes about the software bundle. Older G-series models (including the G10) let you control the camera from your computer -- the G11 does not (boo!). Lastly, another software application known as PhotoStitch is installed, which helps you create a single panorama from separate images.
Canon includes a detailed manual with the PowerShot G11. It's not the most user-friendly manual in the universe (but believe me, I've seen much worse), but it will answer any question that may come up about this complex camera. Documentation for the bundled software and direct printing (via PictBridge) are installed in digital format on your computer.